Welcome to Tracker, the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.
$79 million boost for collaborative health and medical research
NHMRC is investing $79 million through the 2024 Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies grant scheme. Twenty-two research projects, led by experts from different disciplines, will share in the total funding amount to collaborate and solve health problems.
The media release for this announcement is available on NHMRC’s website. Outcome data for the 2024 Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies round is available online and the corresponding Factsheet is available on NHMRC’s website. The Factsheet contains outcomes by gender, broad research area, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research and researchers.
Ethical guidelines for cell, tissue and organ donation and transplantation in Australia
The Ethical guidelines for cell, tissue and organ donation and transplantation in Australia have been issued by the NHMRC CEO on Friday 9 May 2025.
These consolidated and expanded guidelines replace the existing NHMRC guidelines on organ and tissue donation and transplantation.
Further information is available on NHMRC’s website or for any other queries, please contact ethics@nhmrc.gov.au.
Public consultation webinar: Clinical practice guidelines and principles of care for people with dementia
Monash University (the developer) is updating the 2016 Clinical Practice Guidelines and Principles of Care for People with Dementia. The developer is seeking NHMRC approval under section 14A of the National Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992 for the guidelines.
The developer is inviting people interested in and impacted by dementia to join a public consultation webinar.
The aim of the webinar is to introduce members of the guidelines’ Living and Lived Experience Advisory Group and offer insights into how they are shaping the guidelines.
The webinar is scheduled for Thursday 26 June 2025 from 4pm - 5pm (AEST) via Zoom. Please register online.
Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases – applicant briefing webinar
The Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD) is holding an applicant briefing webinar for the Strengthening Health Systems funding call, on Wednesday 21 May 2025 at 17:00 (AEST).
NHMRC invites Australia based researchers to submit first stage applications to GACD and encourages applications for joint funding with other participating GACD member agencies.
NHMRC also encourages prospective applicants to the funding call to attend this webinar. Webinar registration details, application key dates and further guidance is available on GACD’s website.
The NHMRC-GACD grant opportunity guidelines are on GrantConnect. NHMRC’s agency specific GACD information form can be found on GACD’s website.
Cancer Grand Challenges expressions of interest - now open
In March 2025, Cancer Grand Challenges announced 7 new challenges to the global research community. International teams are now being invited to submit an expression of interest to take on one of these challenges which represent the most urgent, complex problems in cancer research that require collaboration across borders and disciplines.
Interested Australian researchers can visit the Cancer Grand Challenges new challenges page to learn more about each of the challenges and specific requirements. Alternatively, contact info@cancergrandchallenges for further information.
Key NHMRC grant program dates
NHMRC grant opportunities are funded through the Medical Research Endowment Account (MREA).
NHMRC Development Grants – minimum data due soon
Minimum data for Development Grants 2025 applications is due by Wednesday 14 May 2025 at 17:00 AEST.
Applicants must complete the required fields with correct information. Use of placeholder text will not be accepted. For more information on minimum data requirements refer to Appendix C of the Development Grants 2025 Guidelines (available on GrantConnect).
Failure to meet the minimum data requirements by the deadline will result in the application not proceeding. New applications cannot be started after the minimum data deadline.
- Applications close on Wednesday 11 June 2025 at 17:00 (AEST).
Please email help@nhmrc.gov.au for further information.
Ideas Grants - round closed
Applications for the Ideas Grants scheme closed on Wednesday 7 May 2025 with a total of 2379 applications submitted.
The peer review membership is currently being finalised. Peer reviewers will declare conflicts of interest and suitability in late May/early June, with peer review assessments scheduled for July/August 2025.
Key dates
Refer to Funding schemes and calendar.
Tracker
See previous editions of Tracker.
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